Last week, after making my first twinchies (and thanks to Debbie House, group mom of Inchies 1 x 1 for giving me the "how to" instructions because I didn't have a clue starting out), I woke up in the middle of the night wondering if any of my artist buddies in the group where I hang out the most. The Latest Trends in Mixed Media had ever made twinchies. Well I asked and one thing led to another and the Halloween Twinchie Challenge Lottery was born.

The initial challenge for this lottery was to make 31 Twinchies (either digital or handmade) and mount them on a backing board. On Halloween, one name from all those who sign up and play will be drawn. They will be declared the winner of all 31 Twinchies! Imagine what a cool collage could be made with that many twinchies!

The enthusiasm for this challenge was contagious. Artists started loading up their "twinchies" to the designated photo album before the day was out! Some couldn't stop at just one or two and loaded four, five and even more! They caught the Twinchie bug and now have "Twinchie-itis". Literally overnight, 31 twinchies were uploaded to our group photo album by these Twinchie-ites! LOL More artists wanted to play so it has been decided that now we will go for 62 twinchies and draw two names ... one for each lot of 31 twinchies!

I am absolutely blown away by the fun and creativity they are displaying with this challenge! Never in my wildest dreams had I anticipated such an outpouring of art in such a short period of time. And the art being uploaded... well it is something else indeed! You have to see it to believe it... it is absolutely fantastic. And that's when the idea of writing a short story that tells a small Halloween tale through their art popped into my head in the wee small hours of the morning...

An Artsy FartsyHallowe'en Tale

Once upon a time there were two witches. Sisters they were. Twins in fact.

Art by Marilyn Goodman

They lived in an old, eerie mansion called Immortalitywith resident ghosts from Hallowe'en Past and spiderwebs draped decoratively about in every room

Art by Cindy Powell

The mansion is situated on

the wrong side of the tracks

in a secret hideaway placein a small town

near YOU!

Now some people say

Art by Linda Gibbons

to spook all the misbehaving children and grownups in town.

Anybody of any importance knows that the sisters Grim have

Art by Peggy Gato

in the basement with the pickles and hidingbehind the secret trap doors in all the closets.

Now, if you should accidently walk by the mansion on dark, rainy October nights, you can hear them rattling their chains when the ghosts come out to wander about the dusty, spider webbed rooms and haunt the dark, foreboding stairwells of the mansion. You will know you have discovered this secret hideaway place because the hair on your neck will stand straight right up and your body will shiver with goosebumps!

Art by Cindy Powell

Listen carefully as you are out for your evening stroll.Owls hoot eerie warnings should a stranger gettoo close to secret hideaways.

Art by Cynthia (Cyn) Stenquist

Everyone knows that those same owls hoot the daily news, eventsand happenings to those creatures of the night responsible for planningfrightful acts of wickedness towards those humans who lie, cheat or steal.

Art by Linda Gibbons

Sometimes walking down a dark alley in town,a ghost will jump out into your path and yell

Art by Gale Heritage

It's just their way of having fun when theyare bored. In September and October they areprobably getting some practice in for Hallowe-en night.

But I can tell you for certain...many a matrons hair in town has turnedwhite overnight from the ghastly fright.

This year, the sisters Grim noticed that the Witch industry was having a difficult time hiring properly trained witches with the right witchy credentials. Well, they certainly could not have THAT. It would ruin all witches reputations. They decided this was the perfect time to recruit some new witch trainees and teach them how to be proper witches. To attract new customers, they put this ad in their local paper.

Art by Sharon House

The ad was very successful. Applications poured in by the droves for Witchcraft 101. The sisters Grim picked 10 lucky applicants, who each received a magic flying broom, personalized with their witchy name, on their first day of classes.

Flight training began in earnest a few weeks ago. Each night since, the sisters Grim have a cackle session in their living room. They close all the curtains, light a candle and sitting in a shadowy room, laugh until they piddle in their witchy britches about the hilarious take off and landing attempts of the new trainees in flight training! The sisters Grim have had to make extra batches of "Airhead" salve for the trainees to put on their bruises and scrapes.

Making magical brews, cures and potions and instructions on how to properly stir the cauldron while reciting secret spells began this week. The course, Magic 101, will begin next week. Lessons in brewing poisons to administer to nasty folks who cross their path will begin the week after next. How to boil and season bad little children and misbehaving adults will be covered as well before the annual bewitching day arrives! The Grim sisters are determined that these new witches will be well prepared to deal with anything that crosses their path.

Art by Lynn Stevens

Art by Bevlea Ross

At the end of their training, just in time for Halloween this year,each witch will receive this special appointment diploma andbe invited to join "The United Witches Union"

Art by Lynn Stevens

So this October 31

Art by Carolyn Summer

Give generously of candy to all those who come to your doorway on Halloween night. Be kind, generous and giving to all those you meet this month. If you don't, you'll be sorry. The witches, goblins, ghosts, hissing cats, hooting owls, etcetera will be out in force to GET YOU.

Trick or Treat?

Art by Linda Gibbons

You decide.

THE END

Thanks to all the member artists in The Latest Trends in Mixed Media Art group who are participating in this fun lottery. They graciously gave me permission to showcase their "twinchie" art as part of this Halloween story!

Hope you have enjoyed this small sampling of "tasty" Halloween Twinchie Art. Drop by the Latest Trends to see more and/or participate in the lottery by joining the group.

If you are looking for an information rich art group to join, I can highly recommend the Latest Trends. I've been a member since 2007 when it first began and have watched it grow to over 900 members in just two years. And here's why... members enjoy all the free workshops, swaps, monthly art techniques and more offered in a warm, supportive, encouraging and friendly atmosphere. Cindy Powell, our group "mom", author, designer and "artist extraordinaire" does a fantastic job of entertaining us each month with a myriad of wonderful *FREE* workshops and projects (many of which are hosted by our generous fellow members) to strengthen our creative muscles and help us improve our art.

Have a great weekend everyone and thanks for stopping by.

Sharon

P.S. Story lovers, I am a bit behind in getting this months' story recorded but a Victorian Ghost story, in keeping with the "season", should be up by the weekend.

Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a wise, witty or wonderful comment. I truly appreciate it. Unfortunately, a marked increase in spam has made it necessary to turn on word verification again. Hope you understand!

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